The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-02-26

which became Il law almost score
Of years ago. This fact recalls to
mind an incident connected with
the approval of the suffrage bill by
the then acting governor that is not
generally known. The prime mo-
yer in the matter of having such a
bill introduced was Eliza Snow,
the high priestess of the Mormon
church and original Eve Of the en-
dowment house within which mys-
terious building the loyal saints
received their holy robes, registered
the vows of fealty to the church,
and were married Daniel II. Wells
and George A. Smith of the presi-
dency were ardent supporters of
the bill and it was unanimously
passed under "orders' as divinely
revealed measure. Utah at that
time had no resident governor
Charles Durkee of Wisconsin, who
HAD BEEN THE GOVERNOR,
Had resigned on account of bad
health and gone home. j. w. Shat
fer, appointed by President Grant
to fill the vacancy, was seriously
i'll in his Illinois home and unable
to assume his new duties. This
made Stephen A. Mann, the secre-
tary of state, also acting governor,
in which dual capacity he served
for some months. Mann was an
easy-going fellow, little suscepti-
bic to hattery and cared more for
the office of clerk of the district
and supreme courts, which he also
held, than for the glory of being
governor of Utah or its secretary.
But when i'm due time the suffrage
bill passed and was sent TO him for
executive action he began to real
ize that he had Il serious duty to
perform. AS matter of fact, it did
not make much difference whether
he approved the bill or vetoed it as,
had he refused to sign it, the meas
ure would have been promptly
passed over his objections by a
unanimous vote, for the order had
COME FROM BRIGHAM YOUNG
That the bill must become a law.
The chief justice of the territory at
the time was c. c. Wilson, who
was favorably disposed toward the
suffrage movement, while his asso-
ciates, Hawley and Strickland, were
violently opposed to it upon gen.
eral principles. Many others were
also opposed to the bill but saw
how hopeless their opposition would
be, Among these were Il. y. Bas-
kin, then a new conner in the terri
tory and struggling lawyer, his
partner, Steve DeWolf, James Car
ter, Judge McCurdy, Chas. Hemp
stead and host of others, all of
whom sought to prevail upon the
governor to veto the Bill. any way,
as a matter of right. Eliza Snow
and a dozen emissaries of the cause
were not, in the mean time, idle,
and besieged Governor Mann to
sign the bill. Between the two fires
the governor found himself in a di-
lemma; in whichever way he acted
he would in measure provoke an
undesired enmity. In those days
THE ANTI-MORMoN FEELING
Did not run so high as now and he
had many friends among the Nor
mon as well as the Gentle element
Meanwhile the day approached
when some action must be taken
until the last day allowed by law
for executive consideration arrived
and found the acting governor in
as unsettled a frame of mind as
ever. Suddenly happy thought
struck him. His old-time Washoe
friend and partner, silver-tongued
Tom Fitch, was then in congress
representing Nevada, and rushing
to the telegraph office Mann wired
to him the situation of affairs and
implored his advice. All day long
he impatiently waited an answer.
Dozens of gentiles dropped into his
office during the day anxious to
ascertain what his excellencv would
do concerning the bill delegations
Of mormons scraped the mud from
their boots on the front porch of
the executive cottage, in the rear
Of Hooper's bank
EQUALLY AS EAGER
To know what action was to be ia
ken. The acting governor met them!
all with a bland smile, while Judge
Wilson, who occupied a room in
the same house, unaware of the
telegram being sent, was hugely
enjoying the predicament in which
his friend was placed. Late in the
evening the answer to the telegram
was flashed back over the wires,
approve bill by all MEANS" and
the acting governor quietly slipped
the dispatch in his pocket, drew
out the bill, signed it and sent his
notice of approval to the legislature
by a waiting messenger. His APP
proval elated the legislature. Eliza
Snow and other women got up an
impromptu serenade to his excel
lency, who took safety in his mt.